Racial bias in driver yielding behavior at crosswalks

TLDR: In this article, a controlled field experiment at an unsignalized midblock marked crosswalk in downtown Portland, Oregon was conducted to examine the potential for drivers' racial bias to impact yielding behavior with pedestrians and found that minority pedestrians experience discriminatory treatment by drivers at crosswalks.

Abstract: Psychological and social identity-related factors have been shown to influence drivers' behaviors toward pedestrians, but no previous studies have examined the potential for drivers' racial bias to impact yielding behavior with pedestrians. If drivers' yielding behavior results in differential behavior toward Black and White pedestrians, this may lead to disparate pedestrian crossing experiences based on race and potentially contribute to disproportionate safety outcomes for minorities. We tested the hypothesis that drivers' yielding behavior is influenced by pedestrians' race in a controlled field experiment at an unsignalized midblock marked crosswalk in downtown Portland, Oregon. Six trained male research team participants (3 White, 3 Black) simulated an individual pedestrian crossing, while trained observers cataloged the number of cars that passed and the time until a driver yielded. RESULTS (88 pedestrian trials, 173 driver-subjects) revealed that Black pedestrians were passed by twice as many cars and experienced wait times that were 32% longer than White pedestrians. RESULTS support the hypothesis that minority pedestrians experience discriminatory treatment by drivers at crosswalks.

Figures

Figure 1. Number of cars that passed before pedestrian could cross (by pedestrian race)

Figure 3. Yielding behavior by pedestrian race depending on whether first car stops

Figure 2.Overall time elapsed before pedestrian could cross (by pedestrian race)

Full text

Portland State University Portland State University
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4-2014
Racial Bias in Driver Yielding Behavior at Crosswalks Racial Bias in Driver Yielding Behavior at Crosswalks
Tara Goddard
Portland State University
Kimberly Barsamian Kahn
Portland State University
, kimbkahn@pdx.edu
Arlie Adkins
University of Arizona
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Citation Details Citation Details
Goddard, Tara, Kimberly Barsamian Kahn and Arlie Adkins. Racial Bias in Driver Yielding Behavior at
Crosswalks. NITC-SS-733. Portland, OR: Transportation Research and Education Center (TREC), 2014.
http://dx.doi.org/10.15760/trec.130
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Transportation’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration
NATIONAL
INSTITUTE FOR
TRANSPORTATION AND
COMMUNITIES
FINAL REPORT

1
Racial Bias in Driver Yielding Behavior at Crosswalks
Tara Goddard
a
, Kimberly Barsamian Kahn
b
,
a,b
Portland State University, Portland,
Oregon, USA, Arlie Adkins
c
,
c
University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
Keywords: racial bias; discrimination, pedestrian safety; intermodal conflict
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR:
Tara Goddard
Portland State University
Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning
PO Box 751-USP
Portland, OR, USA 97207-0751
goddard@pdx.edu
DECLARATION OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST:
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interests with respect to the authorship and/or
publication of this article.
FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE/FUNDING:
The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research and/or
authorship of this article: This project was funded by a National Institute for Transportation
and Communities (NITC) “Small Starts” grant. The grant is part of the University
Transportation Center (UTC) program funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s
Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA).

2
Racial Bias in Driver Yielding Behavior at Crosswalks
Abstract:
Racial minorities are disproportionately represented in pedestrian traffic fatalities, indicating a
significant public health and safety issue. Psychological and social identity-related factors have
previously been shown to influence drivers’ behaviors toward pedestrians. If drivers’ behavior
reflects racial bias and results in differential behavior toward Black and White pedestrians, this
may lead to disparate pedestrian crossing experiences based on race and potentially contribute to
disproportionate safety outcomes. We tested this hypothesis in a controlled field experiment at an
unsignalized midblock marked crosswalk in downtown Portland, Oregon. Six trained male
research team confederates (3 White, 3 Black) simulated an individual pedestrian crossing, while
trained observers cataloged the number of cars that passed and the time until a driver yielded.
Results (90 pedestrian trials, 168 driver-subjects) revealed that Black pedestrians were passed by
twice as many cars and experienced wait times that were 32% longer than White pedestrians.
Results support the hypothesis that minority pedestrians experience discriminatory treatment by
drivers.

Frequently asked questions

Q1. What is the effect of implicit attitudes on driving?

Implicit attitudes are more predictive of behavior when situations necessitate quick decision making, distractions are present, and anonymity is increased (e.g., Kahn & Davies, 2011), as exists when driving on a busy street. 

Q2. What is the effect of race on pedestrian safety?

If drivers’ behavior reflects racial bias and results in differential behavior toward Black and White pedestrians, this may lead to disparate pedestrian crossing experiences based on race and potentially contribute to disproportionate safety outcomes. 

Q3. What is the common cause of pedestrian fatalities?

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 60 percent or more of pedestrian fatalities occur during street crossings (NHTSA, 2003). 

Q4. What is the effect of implicit racial attitudes on driving?

Because implicit racial bias against Blacks is a commonly held attitude (e.g.,13Greenwald & Banaji, 1995), drivers’ implicit racial attitudes might explain the biased stopping behavior as they make quick decisions while scanning the road and evaluating multiple stimuli. 

Q5. What is the role of racial bias in driver-pedestrian interactions?

Interventions such as pedestrian-activated signals that explicitly make stopping a mandatory act rather than a discretionary act may reduce observed behavioral discrepancies by pedestrian race. 

Q6. What is the role of social identity in the interaction between drivers and pedestrians?

Differences in minority pedestrians’ experiences at crosswalks may lead to more delay, increased risk, and lower quality pedestrian experiences, leading minority pedestrians to adopt unsafe crossing behaviors and dissuading them from choosing active transportation modes. 

Q7. How many seconds did the pedestrian take before the driver yielded?

Two trained observersstood approximately 30 feet from the crosswalk (out of sight of oncoming cars) and recorded whether the first car to approach yielded to the pedestrian, how many cars passed by before a driver yielded, and how many seconds elapsed before each pedestrian was able to cross (from time the pedestrian stepped up to edge of the curb until when the driver yielded to the pedestrian to cross). 

Q8. What is the role of social identity in driver-pedestrian interactions at crosswalks?

Understanding driver-pedestrian interactions at crosswalks is therefore key to addressing the public safety issues that result from the shared use of road space. 

Q9. How many times did Black pedestrians wait for two or more cars?

Black pedestrians were, however, more than twice as likely as White pedestrians (45.2% versus 22.2%) to have to wait for two or more cars, χ² = 5.18, p. = .02, Φ = .244. 

Q10. What is the role of social identity in driver-pedestrian interactions?

These results suggest that drivers’ perceive yielding to pedestrians as a courtesy or granting of privilege, rather than an observance of rights as is often the case by law. 

Q11. What is the effect of implicit bias on drivers?

Also characteristic of implicit bias, drivers may be less aware of the discrimination that results from their biased stopping decisions. 

Q12. How many drivers passed Black pedestrians without stopping?

The average of 2.02 drivers (SD=2.39) that passed Black pedestrians without stopping was more than twice the average of .98 drivers (SD=1.56) who passed White pedestrians without stopping. 

Q13. What is the effect of the longer waits faced by Black pedestrians?

The longer waits faced by Black pedestrians may result from drivers observing the behavior of vehicles preceding them and replicating this behavior.